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Saturday, May 27, 2017

The Brown Ribbon of Germany - One of Hitler's Greed-Driven Stupid Ideas

The Brown Ribbon of Germany was an annual July horse race run in Munich (Riem), from 1934 to 1944. One of the best known racing venues in Germany was the race track at Riem, just a few short miles from Munich.

This souvenir sheet, Scott #B90, is a semi-postal issued to raise funds for a sweepstakes prize for horseracing.

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Each sheet sold for 1.50 marks at the race course and select post offices.

The 1.08m surtax on each 42-pfennig stamp went toward a sweepstakes prize of 100,000 marks. “Munchen Riem 1936” appeared as a watermark in the sheet margin.

This is the first semipostal stamp associated with the Brown Ribbon Derby, issued June 22, 1936, as a single-stamp souvenir sheet (Scott B90) to commemorate the third running of the race. 

A closer look at Scott #B90

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And the souvenir sheet with "Munchen Riem 1936” as a watermark in the sheet margin. 

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The destruction of the Third Reich in 1945 put an end to Germany's semipostal stamps benefiting horse racing, one of many of Hitler's stupid ideas that wrecked a nation that was great before the filthy Nazi party came into being.

Instead of using the stamp's surcharge to fight disease, famine, hunger, natural disaster, floods, hurricanes, help for the war wounded and orphans, Hitler used the money to fund horse racing.

2:04 pm cdt          Comments

Friday, May 26, 2017

CIPEX

70 years ago this week a great event took place from May 17 thru May 25 at the Grand Central Palace in New York City.

The Centenary International Philatelic Exhibition.

CIPEX

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Scott #948, issued May 19, 1947, the CIPEX Souvenir Sheet, graces the first day cover above.

The first two stamps of 1847, Scott #'s 1 and 2, are reproduced for the 100th anniversary of their issue.

Below are the four official souvenir poster stamps for CIPEX printed by the American Bank Note Company in 1947.

Red

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Green

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Purple

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Blue

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Read more about CIPEX when you click any image above.

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It was one of the most spectacular events in the history of philately.

12:38 am cdt          Comments

Thursday, May 25, 2017

The Packet Mixture - Starting the Journey

One of the greatest moments of all for every young stamp collector is when mom or dad brought an envelope like this one home from the department store.

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It's called "The Packet Mixture".

It's filled with the stamps of the world ready for the young collector's album, including many great hours of learning and excitement visiting the countries of the earth from his or her chair

Below, a nice packet mixture of United States stamps.

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The packet mixture is the beginning of the journey for young stamp collectors.

Each stamp held in the hand of the young collector is a small piece of the nation it represents.

The two packet mixtures above, from my collection, were sold to collectors in the early 1960's and have never been opened. 

3:15 am cdt          Comments

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Free Beer ?

When beer is transported in Washington State this stamp is, or was, applied.

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Is it a control number, a serial number or both ?

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Click either image for more.

2:06 am cdt          Comments

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

The Crucifix by Cimabue at Santa Croce

The Crucifix by Cimabue at Santa Croce (c. 1265) is a wooden crucifix, painted in distemper, attributed to the Florentine painter and mosaicist Cimabue, one of two large crucifixes attributed to him.

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Issued December 5, 1967, San Marino Scott #676 depicts this majestic work of art, nearly lost by the terrible flood of 1966 that destroyed or severely damaged thousands of priceless works of art.

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The work was commissioned by the Franciscan friars of Santa Croce and is built from a complex arrangement of five main and eight ancillary timber boards.

It is one of the first Italian artworks to break from the late medieval Byzantine style and is renowned for its technical innovations and humanistic iconography.

The actual Crucifix by Cimabue.

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The work has been in the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence since the late thirteenth century, and at the Museo dell'Opera Santa Croce since restoration following flooding of the Arno in 1966. It remains in poor condition despite conservation efforts.

8:18 am cdt          Comments

Monday, May 22, 2017

Jordan & The Peacemakers of the World

Jordan issued this souvenir sheet January 5, 1967, fifty years ago.

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The five men honored are left to right Charles DeGaulle, King Abdullah of Jordan, Pope Paul VI, Dag Hammarskjold and Lyndon Johnson.

Scott #534K, imperforated, 99x64mm. 

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Jordan, officially The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is an Arab kingdom in Western Asia, on the East Bank of the Jordan River. Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the east and south; Iraq to the north-east; Syria to the north; Israel, Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west; and the Red Sea in its extreme south-west.

Jordan is strategically located at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe.

The capital, Amman, is Jordan's most populous city as well as the country's economic, political and cultural center.

Jordan is a friend to Israel, the United States and the world.

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1:48 am cdt          Comments

Sunday, May 21, 2017

New York 1862

Sylvanus Miller's letter was targeted.

A target cancellation on the three cent Washington of 1862.

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Scott #66 ?, rose perf 12 (though resembles #64b), issued 1862, with a target cancel and nice New York double circular date stamp postmark of July 12, 1862, a little more than a year after the Civil War began on April 12, 1861.

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Don't know much about Sylvanus Miller Esq., but he may have been the current owner of Sanford Hall, formerly the home of Nathan Sanford of Flushing Queens, New York.

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Since the 1800s, Flushing has had a Sanford Avenue — it has never received a number. It was named for Nathan Sanford, also the Chancellor of the State of New York, who purchased several farms east of Jamaica Road, now known as Kissena Boulevard, and built some of the cottages that now comprise the picturesque Waldheim enclave. Sanford’s 1836 mansion, Sanford Hall, now the Windsor School, can still be found on Sanford Avenue between Kissena and Main.

Sanford was also a US Senator. He attended Yale University, studied law, became an attorney in 1799 and practiced in New York City.

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In 1802 he was appointed a US Bankruptcy Commissioner he was US Attorney for the District of New York from 1803 to 1816.

Sanford served in the New York Assembly from 1808 to 1809 and again in 1811, serving as Speaker in his final term. From 1812 to 1815 he served in the New York Senate. In 1815 he was elected to the US Senate as a Democratic-Republican and served one term, 1815 to 1821, also serving as Chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures from 1817 to 1821, the Committee on Naval Affairs from 1817 to 1819, and the Committee on Finance from 1819 to 1821.

In 1821 Sanford was a Delegate to the state constitutional convention, and introduced the amendment which abolished property ownership as a qualification for voting. He served as state Chancellor (a judicial office) from 1823 to 1826. In 1824 Sanford received 30 electoral votes for Vice President, second to John C. Calhoun's 182.

In 1825 he was again elected to the US Senate, this time as an Adams candidate (later an Anti-Jacksonian), and served from 1826 to 1831. From 1826 to 1827 he was Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee.

After his second period of service in the Senate Sanford practiced law in Flushing until his death from tuberculosis. He was married three times and many of his descendants were prominent, including author Herman Melville and Civil War General Henry Sanford.

Here's a nice view of the four concentric target cancel. The stamp resembles Scott #64b, rose pink.

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And the circular date stamp postmark.

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Great cancels like these are not rare, but they are scarce and can put a dent in your wallet. 

12:55 pm cdt          Comments

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Guatemala & The Central American Expo 1897

Printed in 1897, this beautiful example of Guatemalan postal stationary is not easy to find today.

The stamp, Scott #64 twelve Guatemalan centavos, on the right, is imprinted on the stationary in the same fashion as revenue stamped paper as used by the banks and was printed by the American Bank Note company.

The illustration on the right is the majestic Guatemala City Railway Station.

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Another view of the railway station and Scott #64.

The stamp, printed January 1, 1897, was issued for the Central American Exhibition held in Guatemala City.

The stamp's illustrations include a steamship, arms, portrait of Pres. J. M. Reyna Barrios and the locomotive.

Arms of El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica are in the corners.

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The lower left inscription translated is "you write the address here only".

Note the "American Bank Note Company, New York" inscription at the bottom of the address section.

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The inscription translated reads, "This card is for local service only and must be deposited precisely in the office, cards express local service."

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Expo postal stationary, like this example, is hard to come by.

5:04 pm cdt          Comments

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Russia 1857 - 1888

The stamps of Russia are among the most beautiful works of art in the entire world.

Here are the Imperial Eagles and Post Horns,  and their historical cancellations, from the mid to late nineteenth centrury from my collection.

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A full page of Imperial Eagles.

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Another view.

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 Thank you for visiting today.

1:46 am cdt          Comments

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Will Rogers Missed His Flight

Will Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was great.

Cowboy, comedian, actor, philosopher.

This scarce cover represents the inauguration of passenger service to France on June 28, 1939 and is a memorial to Will.

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The flight had been planned for a long time.

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Will was killed in a plane accident in Alaska with his pal and fellow aviator Wiley Post four years earlier.

Will had purchased the first ticket for the Dixie Clipper years in advance of the flight like an astronaut waiting to board the first flight to the moon.

The New York, N.Y. circular date stamp of June 28 has the initials G.P.O. (general post office) cancelled by the G.P.O. oval "shoeprint" cancellation and the number 193 which may have represented the cancellation machine.

The stamp attached to this great First Flight cover is the "Winged Globe" Scott #C24 issued May 16, 1939.

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The plane arrived in Marseille June 30, 1939 as shown on the reverse with the arrival circular date stamp.

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And an enlarged view of the Marseille arrival cancel with six wavy bars and the circular date stamped machine cancellation.

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My nation, and the world, should always love and remember Will Rogers for his great wisdom and remarkable sense of humor.

He was a great American.

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6:46 am cdt          Comments

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

First Flight to Suva

Suva is the capital, second largest municipality and largest municipality with city status in Fiji, located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Rewa Province, Central Division.

On November 5, 1941 at 5pm the first F.A.M. (Foreign Air Mail) flight to Suva departed from Los Angeles, California.

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This scarce first flight cover bears the historical cachet commemorating the event, the circular date stamp, and the four bar machine cancel over a beautiful pair of green Scott #'sC9 issued in 1927 featuring a map of the United Statesand two mail planes.

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And the reverse cover with the Suva arrival circular date stamp four days later on November 9, 1941 at 4pm.

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Details of the Suva / Fiji circular date stamp.

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And another look at the great wine-illustrated cachet of a sea plane.

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First flight covers are a great philatelic topical variety.

Some flight covers can be quite expensive and very challenging to find, especially so in aerophilately.

12:40 pm cdt          Comments

Monday, May 15, 2017

Banking At The Airport For The First Time

The Empire Trust Company of New York, founded on March 1, 1904, opened a bank inside LaGuardia Field Municipal Airport on September 8, 1941.

The event was celebrated with this souvenir cachet with the New York circular date stamp and seven bar line machine cancel that ties Scott #C25 rotary press printed, perforated 11x10.5 twin-motored transport plane to the upper right corner.

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Yet another view of Scott #C25 and the cancellation.

The two red vertical bars to the left of the stamp in the margin are electric eye guides that kept the paper aligned on the rotary press.

The stamp happened to be removed from the top left corner of the full sheet and nicely retained the margin selvage with the perforations and electrice eye guides. Cool ! You can also see the red horizontal plate line at the top. Nice !

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And another view of the nice cachet. Note the initials A.M.F. at the bottom of the circular date stamp. The intitials stand for "Air Mail Field".

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This is an unusual and scarce aviation cover commemorating a mundane, yet notable event: the opening of a bank inside of an airport for the first time in history. Oh Boy !

4:26 pm cdt          Comments

Sunday, May 14, 2017

The First Rotary-Wing Aircraft Mail Route - June 6, 1939

On May 25, 1935,an experimental autogiro air mail delivery service was tested linking Camden’s Airport with Philadelphia’s newly opened General Post Office.

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Eastern Airlines’ Kellett KD-1 Autogiro takes off from the roof of the Philadelphia’s Post Office at Thirtieth and Market Streets in 1939.

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The U.S. Army Air Corps purchased a Kelletts’ KD-1 autogiro (pictured in the cachet), and Eastern Airlines used it to deliver mail from Philadelphia’s Thirtieth Street Post Office to the Central New Jersey Airport in Camden, New Jersey.

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This historic event represented the first Autogiro used by the United States Postal Service to carry mail.

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On July 6, 1939, the postal service began using an Autogiro aircraft to fly mail between the Central Airport at Camden, New Jersey, to the roof of the main Philadelphia post office.

Scott #C23, issued on this day, May 14, 1938, is the six cent airmail stamp perforated 11 in the colors of dark blue and carmine and cancelled with the Philadelphia circular date stamp of July 6, 1939, 2pm, and the beautiful barred metered slogan cancel of the passenger airliner with the words "Airmail Saves Time".

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This much acclaimed event occurred in 1939,and would distinguish Camden Central Airport even more. 

Just above, and below, is the Camden, New Jersey cover with the circular date stamp and seven bar machine cancellation of July 6, 1939 2pm across Scott #C23.

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Although experiments had previously been conducted between the two cities, July 6, 1939 saw the inauguration of daily autogiro airmail shuttle service linking Central Airport in New Jersey and the roof of the new General Post Office in Philadelphia at Thirtieth, between Market and Chestnut Streets.

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This was the first autogiro mail service in the United States and would become known as the “world’s shortest air mail route!”

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Much-celebrated test pilot John M. Miller (1905 - 2008) flew the philatelic mail on the new rotary-wing aircraft service.

5:08 pm cdt          Comments

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Baseball

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Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of nine players each, who take turns batting and fielding, or chasing the ball in the field.

In 1939, the United States Postal Service honored the game of baseball in Cooperstown, New York with a commemorative stamp honoring the 100th anniversary, or centennial, of baseball in America.

Cooperstown is widely regarded as the home of baseball in America.

The first day of issue ceremony also coincided with the creation of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on the very same historic day of June 12, 1939.

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The Baseball Centennial Issue of June 12, 1939 depicts the excitement of a sand lot baseball game as it was played in the last century.

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The rotary press printed, perforated 11x10.5, violet Scott #855 proudly joins the first day of issue bar cancellation and the Cooperstown circular date stamp applied to this historic cover on the day of the ceremony.

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The 1939 Cooperstown cancellation is coveted throughout the world by collectors of sports on stamps.

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Although the artist is unknown, this cachet is believed to be the cachet design approved by Stephen Carlton Clark, the founder of the National Baseball Hall of Fame

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Visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame this summer.

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12:35 am cdt          Comments

Friday, May 12, 2017

Lufthansa & The First Turboprop Flight To Moscow 1960

Lufthansa and the German Democratic Repulic post issued this first flight cover on March 31, 1960 in Berlin, Germany.

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The circular date stamp cancels the January 27, 1960 issued Scott #491 Summer Olympics commemorative stamp featuring sailboating.

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The cachet and triangular date stamp honor this first historic flight of Lufthansa's turboprop airliner to Moscow.

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The address.

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Another view of the cachet.

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The reverse side.

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Lufthansa's address and Moscow's circular date arrival hand stamp cancellation of April 1, 1960.

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And another closeup of Moscow's circular date arrival stampof April 1, 1960.

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Collecting first flight covers is one of the most challenging and fantastic topical fields in stamp collecting.

It's one of the greatest ways of all to discover and learn about the aviation history of our planet.

12:39 am cdt          Comments

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Cuban Cigars

The cigars of Cuba are considered by cigar enthusiasts to be the finest in the world.

On August 28, 1939 the government and postal authority of the beautiful island of Cuba issued three stamps representing the importance of Cuba's most coveted export.

The stamps represented on this beautiful first day cover include, in vertical pairs, Scott #356 one cent yellow green Giboney Indian and Cigar, Scott #357 two cent red cigar and globe, and Scott #358 three cent bright ultra tobacco plant and cigars, all watermarked and perforated eleven.

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The Catalonian words "Primer Dia" (first day) are prominently displayed and imprinted above the certificated cachet issued in Havana, Cuba August 28, 1939.

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Another view of Scott #'s 356, 357 and 358 with the circular date stamped cancellations from Havana.

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The receipt registered mail stamp of August 28, 1939 assigned No.17201.

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The first day cover's reverse side with arrival circular date stamps, to include the Havana registered stamp.

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In the center, note the August 28, 1939 registered stamp.

Just above and to the left of the registered hand stamp is the New Orleans, Louisiana arrival circular date registered hand stamp of September 3, 1939, which took six days to arrive from Havana, Cuba.

And to the left and right of the Havana and New Orleans registered hand stamps, two Wynne, Arkansas registered arrival circular date hand stamps of September 5, 1939, two days out of New Orleans and eight days from Havana.

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Another beautiful Cuban first day cover celebrating the cigar with a block of four of Scott #356.

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The Cuban Cigar is considered to be the world's finest.

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Cuban cigars are very difficult to aquire

So are these historic examples of Cuban philately.

Cuban cigar stamps, as a topical stamp collectible, are an extraordinary challenge for any philatelist.

1:33 pm cdt          Comments

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

The Royal Train 1939
Seventy eigth years ago in 1939, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a
thirty day tour of the New World on their own train.
 
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This is considered to be one of the scarcest and most desirable of all of the Royal Train covers because the postmark represents the Royal Family's first day of entry into the United States.
 
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The stamp is the 1939 Washington Inauguration Issue, Scott #854,  perforated 11, flat plate printing in bright red velvet, tied to the cover with the official United States circular date stamp and bar cancellation of the R.P.O. (railroad post office). The stamp celebrates the sesquecentennial (150 years) of George Washington's inauguration as our nation's first president, 1789-1939, and illustrates Washington taking the oath of office.
 
The Royal Train had a post office on board and special cancels could be obtained.
 
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This was the first visit to North America by a reigning British monarch.
 
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The royal couple and their entourage had arrived in Quebec City on May 17 aboard
the Canadian Pacific ocean liner S.S. Empress of Australia.

Two twelve car trains transported the Royal Family, their staff, security detail, and
the press.

Each train included six cars from Canadian National Railway and six from the Canadian
Pacific.

On June 8, 1939, their Royal Train arrived in Washington DC via the Pennsylvania Railroad.

On the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, June 10 and 11, the royal couple were guests
of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt at their private estate in Hyde Park NY. In contrast to
the official state dinner in Washington DC three days earlier, their time at Hyde Park
was relaxed and informal.

The President of the United States treated the King and Queen of England to a picnic
on the front porch of Top Cottage, where (to the horror of FDR's mother) he served
them hot dogs.
 
This is an actual black and white photograph of the Royal Family attached to the Royal Mail cover, on photographic paper.
 
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If Franklin and Eleanor had gone to London they would have been served fish and chips.
9:47 pm cdt          Comments

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

His "End" Is Inevitable - The Ugly Sardonic Side of War

John N. Lawrence was one of the great patriotic cachet makers during the 20th century.

This patriotic cover depicting Uncle Sam booting Japanese Emperor Hirohito is a sad reminder of a terrible war.

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The illustration and the intials JNL for John N. Lawrence.

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Blue Earth, Minnesota September 3, 1945 circular date stamped cancellation and wavy bar lines tie the pair of Scott #931, two cent carmine rose, portrait of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the "Little White House" in Warm Springs, Georgia to this World War Two patriotic cover.

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These covers are historical, scarce, and offensive to our friends in Japan in this day and age.

War is ugly.

Let's all be friends and create a greater world with peace, understanding and stamp collecting.

2:44 am cdt          Comments

Monday, May 8, 2017

The Hamburg - America Line 1904

The Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft, often referred to in English as Hamburg America Line, sometimes Hamburg-American Line, Hamburg-Amerika Linie or Hamburg Line, Hamburg American Packet-shipping Joint-stock company, was a transatlantic shipping enterprise established in Hamburg, Germany, in 1847.

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From 1904, a postcard from the Hamburg - America Line

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The cancel is an International machine cancel tied to the 1904 issued Scott #323 featuring a portrait of Robert R. Livingston who was an American lawyer, politician, diplomat from New York, and a Founding Father of the United States.

The lines point down when near the circular postmark, characterisitc of the International.

There is a large gap between the lines and the postmark. The space for the numerical die "2" takes up 1 line only. International killers often had an extra diespace near the bottom, the letter "c" in this example.

The "2" is the machine number and the "C" is the service letter.  The "2" identifies the individual machine as a check on the canceling clerk at the hour in the post mark. In large offices with many machines, improperly cancelled mail can be traced to the responsible clerk with this identifying numeral.

"C" stands for “Collected” from letterboxes as opposed to “Dropped” in the post office mail slots.

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The circular date cancellation on the left indicates that the postcard was received in St.Louis, Missouri at 4 AM on December 5, 1904. 

The International machine cancellation on the right indicates in the circular date stamp that the postcard was mailed from New York, New York Station "D" on December 3rd at 5 PM in 1904.

And the Postcard

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The Salutation from the Graf Waldersee, vessel named after the German General who died in 1904.

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Muhlimeister & Johler were printers in Hamburg. 

Their postcards are scarce. Some quite expensive.

The postcard is a fine example from this period in history.

2:25 pm cdt          Comments

Sunday, May 7, 2017

This World's First Commemorative Stamped Envelope - Philadelphia 1876

The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.

This is the world's first commemorative stamped envelope.

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Mail at the Centennial Fair was processed either at the Centennial Post Office in Philadelphia or on one of two railway post office cars at the fair.

Post marks from the centennial post office are fairly common on Scott #U219.

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RPO markings from the Centennial are fairly scarce.

There are no reported counterfeits of the 1876 Centennial envelopes.

100 Years Later Scott #U582

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And Scott #U582 First Day Cancellation

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Numerous fake postmarks are known on the various forgeries of the Centennial dies. 

Here are few examples.

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Here's a nice descriptive brochure from ArtCraft about the bicentennial 13 cent first day cover of 1976, Scott #U582

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Pros will notice that Scott #U219 is the single line type.

The 1876 cover is tough to find and a great exhibition piece.

3:47 pm cdt          Comments

Saturday, May 6, 2017

The Beautiful Russian Bird That Fell From The Roost
I've discovered what appears to be Russia Scott #62 or 81, 15 kopec red brown & deep blue, vertically laid or wove paper.
 
The center is well-shifted, about 20 degrees or so to the right.
Perf .14 unwatermarked issued 1909-12.
 
The Imperial Eagle & Thunderbotls Across The Post Horns
 
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 Appears to be unused under the scope, no gum, never hinged.
 
The center omitted, center inverted (Scott #62a) and center doubled are represented in the catalog for this design (A11).
 
The shift is not recognized in the catalog.
 
The stamp was hidden behind rows of Georgian and Transcaucasian imperforates
within an old manila stock card sleeve.
 
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The beautiful bird that fell from the roost.
 
6:18 pm cdt          Comments

Friday, May 5, 2017

Soviet Georgia & The Overprints of 1923 - The Scarce Green 5000 Ruble

And again, Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi.

It's part of Transcaucasia.

Georgia was formerly a province of the Russian Empire and later a part of the Transcausian Federation of Soviet Republics.

The stamps of Georgia were replaced in 1923 by those of the Transcaucasian Federated Republics.

On March 1, 1994 Georgia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Issued in 1923, the now-scarce Scott #46, Soviet Socialist Republic unwatermarked imperforate green 40,000 ruble on 5000 ruble surcharge printed in black.

Industry & Agriculture

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And once again, the inperforates are scarce and worth more than the perforated stamps.

It's been said that forgeries of the imperforates are not known to have been recorded, therefore, the assumption is that the imperforates are safe to collect.

If you have examples or links that you'd like to share please send me an email.

Have a great weekend.

8:55 am cdt          Comments

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Soviet Georgia & The Overprints of 1923 - The Scarce 1000 Ruble

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi.

It's part of Transcaucasia.

Georgia was formerly a province of the Russian Empire and later a part of the Transcausian Federation of Soviet Republics.

The stamps of Georgia were replaced in 1923 by those of the Transcaucasian Federated Republics.

On March 1, 1994 Georgia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Issued in 1923, the scarce Scott #43, Soviet Socialist Republic unwatermarked imperforate brown 10,000 ruble.on 1000 ruble surcharge printed in black.

Peasant Sowing Grain

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It has been said that there are no recorded reprints or forgeries of the overprinted imperforated stamps and, although scarce today, they can be safely collected.

12:43 pm cdt          Comments

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Soviet Georgia & The Overprints of 1923 - The Scarce 500 Ruble

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi.

It's part of Transcaucasia.

Georgia was formerly a province of the Russian Empire and later a part of the Transcausian Federation of Soviet Republics. 

The stamps of Georgia were replaced in 1923 by those of the Transcaucasian Federated Republics.

On March 1, 1994 Georgia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Issued in 1923, the scarce Scott #45, Soviet Socialist Republic unwatermarked imperforate red 20,000 ruble.on 500 ruble surcharge printed in black.

Soldier With Flag

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 They just don't make stamps like these anymore. 

Instead of pulling your hair out trying to find them, enjoy them on my blog pages.

By the way, the imperforates are considered proofs by some and were never issued for postage, so they say, and can bring you a nice price if you're selling.

10:43 am cdt          Comments

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

More From Georgia the Nation, Industry & Agriculture

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi.

It's part of Transcaucasia.

Georgia was formerly a province of the Russian Empire and later a part of the Transcausian Federation of Soviet Republics. 

The stamps of Georgia were replaced in 1923 by those of the Transcaucasian Federated Republics.

On March 1, 1994 Georgia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Issued in 1922, Scott #29, Soviet Socialist Republic unwatermarked imperforated brown 3000 ruble.

Industry & Agriculture with a plenty of selvedge.

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 Remember that the imperforates are the most difficult to find.

Happy travels in the Transcaucasus !

10:45 am cdt          Comments

Monday, May 1, 2017

Georgia Peach vs. Georgia Peroshki

Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital and largest city is Tbilisi.

It's part of Transcaucasia.

Georgia was formerly a province of the Russian Empire and later a part of the Transcausian Federation of Soviet Republics. 

The stamps of Georgia were replaced in 1923 by those of the Transcaucasian Federated Republics.

On March 1, 1994 Georgia joined the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Issued in 1922, Scott #28, Soviet Socialist Republic unwatermarked imperforated slate 2000 ruble.

Industry & Agriculture

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 Georgian stamps are really nice.

Aesthetic.

The imperforates tough to locate.

Piroshki is not. Ask for one the next time your at the delicatessen.

12:16 pm cdt          Comments


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ArtCraft

For the next few weeks I'll be talking about the first day covers of ArtCraft along with everything else.

ArtCraft closed it's doors recently after 76 years of making philatelic history.

I'm predicting a sudden, salubrious escalation in the value of the ArtCraft cachet, all ArtCraft first day covers and ArtCraft portrait cards.
Including those connected to the Postal Commemorative Society

Their departure signals the end of an extraordinarily crucial, very important, highly significant and exceedingly meaningful period in philately

A mournful signal which will be heard around the world and lamented throughout the multitude of collectors

Leo and Sam August treasured their associations with the world's greatest philatelists

Leo's contributions to our hobby were significant enough to earn the coveted Luft Award and a place in the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame.

ArtCraft has well-earned it's place in the great chronological record in the history of philately.

Their raised ink, line-engraved intaglio printed cachets rank among the most aesthetic in the world.

ArtCraft cachets are not just beautiful.

They are works of art that showcase the wonders of the world and illuminate the powers of human creativity and ingenuity.

The Coober Pedy Cover
One of the World's Great Philatelic Rarities

Coober Pedy

Could this become la pièce de résistance de toute la modern Australian philatélie ?

Coober Pedy is a town in northern South Australia. The town is sometimes referred to as the "opal capital of the world" because of the quantity of precious opals that are mined there. Coober Pedy is renowned for its below-ground residences,called "dugouts", which are built in this fashion due to the scorching daytime heat. The name "Coober Pedy" comes from the local Aboriginal term kupa-piti, which means "white man's hole".

Opal was found in Coober Pedy on 1 February 1915; since then the town has been supplying most of the world's gem-quality opal. Coober Pedy today relies as much on tourism as the opal mining industry to provide the community with employment and sustainability. Coober Pedy has over 70 opal fields and is the largest opal mining area in the world.

Coober Pedy - no village, no buildings, no roads, just desert, mountains dotted with boulders. A bizarre lunar landscape, but for opal seekers is the most exciting place on earth, where again every day is the true challenge, happiness and luck just a shovel width apart and where life is defined by two words: winners and losers. Coober Pedy, grab your hat, throw it into the air and where it lands start digging !

 

Coober Pedy
 

 Linn's Stamp News

“The Scott Numbers are the copyrighted property of Amos Press Inc., dba Scott
Publishing Co. The marks Scott and Scott’s are Registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,
and are trademarks of Amos Press, Inc. dba Scott Publishing Co. No use may be
made of these marks or of material which is reprinted from a copyrighted
publication of Amos Press, Inc., without the express written permission of Amos
Press, Inc., dba Scott Publishing Co., Sidney, Ohio 45365.”

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David Saks

Winner of the Coveted Memphex 2019 Marshall Trophy for "Best of Show"
Philatelic Exhibit "The Famous American Stamp Series of 1940"